Democrats sweep Georgia PSC

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Election roundup: Voters in five Southeast states selected regulators to oversee their utility and energy industries in Tuesday’s elections:

• Alabama voters elected Republicans Jim Zeigler and Matt Gentry to the state Public Service Commission, preserving its all-Republican makeup. These new members’ power will soon be diluted under a new law to expand the three-person commission to seven members. (AL.com)
• Georgia Democrats Peter Hubbard and Shelia Edwards swept the state’s two Public Service Commission races. Hubbard was an incumbent, while Edwards will displace a Republican, giving Democrats a 3-2 majority on the PSC for the first time in decades. (Georgia Secretary of State, WABE)
• Louisianans elected Republicans Stephanie Hilferty and John Atkins to the state Public Service Commission, expanding Republicans’ majority to 4-1. (Louisiana Illuminator)
• Oklahomans voted Republican Brad Boles into the Corporation Commission, preserving an all-Republican regulatory board. (Oklahoma Voice)
• Texans elected Democrat Jon Rosenthal to the state Railroad Commission, which regulates the state’s oil and gas, pipeline, and surface mining industries, displacing a GOP member on the all-Republican board. (NBC News)

In other Southeast energy news…

Speeding toward fossil fuels: The U.S. Department of Transportation approved a license for ST LNG to build a deepwater port off the coast of Texas in what the agency said was the quickest approval time for such a project in more than two decades. (news release, Reuters)

First Solar’s surprising fan: First Solar opened the first phase of its new module factory in Gaffney, South Carolina, last week, starting production at what will be expanded to a 3.4-GW plant. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick was there for the ribbon-cutting, despite the Trump administration’s general animus toward solar energy. (PV Magazine, WLOS)

Texas-sized solar moves: Two Texas solar manufacturing projects also took steps forward this past week. SEG Solar secured the site for its planned $950 million solar cell facility near Houston, while Waaree Solar Americas brought online two module manufacturing lines at its Brookshire factory that will double its annual capacity to 3.2 GW. (Reuters, PV Tech)

The xAI battle continues: The NAACP took a first step toward victory in its fight against xAI’s Mississippi data center, which it alleges has been running polluting gas turbines without permits. Elon Musk’s company wanted to dismiss the NAACP’s lawsuit, but a judge denied that request. (Truthout)

Pipeline problems: As Kinder Morgan looks to build a 470-mile natural gas pipeline through the Southeast, environmental advocates are raising concerns about its massive size, explosion risks, and potential to worsen climate pollution. (WKNO)

Rolling out EVs: Hyundai announces a $450 million investment in its Montgomery, Alabama, plant, which it will expand to support hybrid and EV production. (WAKA)